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The MLS, or Multiple Listing Service, is an online database of real property such as land, single family houses and commercial buildings like apartment complexes and business buildings. Most major cities have their own MLS service, which only real estate agents and brokers have access to. Placing your home on the MLS exposes it to a larger pool of potential buyers, as real estate agents and brokers show their own clients houses listed on the MLS. Getting your home or other real estate listed on the MLS can therefore help facilitate a faster sale.

1

Find a real estate agent who is trustworthy enough to list your real estate on the MLS. Ask your friends and family members for a referral to a good real estate agent whom they have worked with in the past. If you cannot find an agent through a referral, search for one online, at Realtor.com. It is necessary to use a licensed real estate agent or broker in the transaction, as they are the professionals who have access to the MLS. Before you sign a broker/buyer agreement or other contract with the real estate agent which allows him a commission, be sure to check the status of his license online at your state’s department of real estate website. This can reveal any previous complains or offenses related to real estate.

2

Invite your chosen real estate agent to your house for a prelisting appointment. Make sure your whole family is present, as the way you let your agent list your real estate in the MLS can significantly affect your finances, for better or worse. The agent will take information about the house such as square footage and year built. She will also take pictures for the MLS listing. Tell the real estate agent how much money you are looking to make from the sale and what your future housing plans are. The agent will present comparable properties in your area that are currently listed, pending sale and recently sold. Then she will recommend a price to list your real estate, and you can discuss the listing price until you come to an agreement.

3

Ask questions such as what the real estate brokerage’s commission will be. Typical real estate commission paid by the seller is 6 percent, though the National Association of Realtors states that this amount is not mandated by law. Ask what strategies the real estate agent will use to market your house and how long he expects it will take to sell.

4

Decide on a time frame that you’d like to list your property and an alternate plan in case it doesn’t sell fast enough. You may want to sign a 4- or 6-month listing agreement with the agent, depending on how fast properties are selling in your market. Once you firm up the specifics, your real estate agent can go back to her office and input your listing on the MLS, allowing other agents to see it and send the information to their clients. Ask the real estate agent for a print-out copy of the MLS listing once she completes it. This way you can make sure that all facts related to your property are accurate.

About the Author

Sarah Davis has worked in nutrition in the clinical setting and currently works as a licensed Realtor in California. Davis began writing about nutrition in 2006 and had two chapters published in "The Grocery Store Diet" book in 2009. She enjoys writing about nutrition and real estate and managing her website, RealtorSD.com. She earned her bachelor's degree in nutrition from San Diego State University.